Photos Counter Terror and Special Mission / Operations Units

[Gordus]

This is a thread dedicated to military units and intelligence agencies and other relevant forces that are specialized on counter terrorism and activities not limited to law enforcement or exclusively domestic operations.

JW Grom, Poland's elite CT and tier one unit.

2006

2014

Trident Juncture 2015

 

[Gordus]

FSB Alpha, Russia's elite CT force.

 

[Gordus]

Special Air Service Regiment

Former SASR Ben Roberts-Smith, Victoria cross recipient for valour and daring action that significantly contributed to his patrol clearing an entire village of heavily fortified Taliban fighters. He personaly eliminated two enemy machinegunners that were surpressing the rest of the troop and several insurgent fighters.

Mark Donaldson, also a recipient of the Victoria Cross. He accompanied an Afghan-US patrol that got ambushed by a much larger Taliban force using mgs and rpgs. Mark exposed himself to enemy fire in order to distract them from the wounded who were trying to take cover. During retreat, the patrol noticed that they left behind an Afghan interpreter. Mark ran back a good 80m over open ground and once again completly exposed to enemy fire carried the wounded man back, then provided first aid.

 

[Gordus]

Georgian State Security Service Counterterrorism Center anti-terror unit.

2002. Anti insurgency operations with US Special Forces.

2007 part of OSCE crisis management exercise

2008 war with Russia. Post hostilities photos. Evacuation of civilians and standoff with Russian troops.

2012

2014

2016 after transfer to the State Security Service

 

[Gordus]

KSM, Germany's elite underwater warfare, intervention and CT force.

 

[Bombardier]

The British Counter Terror Unit

 

[Gordus]

Republic of Korea 707th Special Mission Battalion

 

[Josiah]

Great thread! Keep these coming. I don't have any photos to post but here's an excellent article (with excellent photos of that era), an account, of an ex-member of the Israel Border Police's YAMAM hostage rescue unit. The author talks about life in this elite unit, the pranks they played on one another and taking part in the famous rescue of hostages during the Mother's Bus attack on 7 March 1988.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/when-shots-rang-out-again-we-knew-we-had-to-storm-the-bus/

 

[Gordus]

Great thread! Keep these coming. I don't have any photos to post but here's an excellent article (with excellent photos of that era), an account, of an ex-member of the Israel Border Police's YAMAM hostage rescue unit. The author talks about life in this elite unit, the pranks they played on one another and taking part in the famous rescue of hostages during the Mother's Bus attack on 7 March 1988.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/when-shots-rang-out-again-we-knew-we-had-to-storm-the-bus/

Israelis get a lot of deserved praise for their efficiency. Afaik virtualy every Georgian law enforcement and counter terror officer operating in a special unit has been to Israel or was trained by an Israeli instructor as part of their qualification / preparation program. It's basicaly like a canon.

 

[santana]

Wow those Koreans using Kryptek Uniform!!! very intersting

 

[Josiah]

Israelis get a lot of deserved praise for their efficiency. Afaik virtualy every Georgian law enforcement and counter terror officer operating in a special unit has been to Israel or was trained by an Israeli instructor as part of their qualification / preparation program. It's basicaly like a canon.

I heard that the Georgians and Israeli cooperated closely in the areas of military and security. Read that the Georgians used the IWI Tavor rifle in limited quantities and were an avid customer for Israeli arms pre-2008.

 

[Talvisota]

I heard that the Georgians and Israeli cooperated closely in the areas of military and security. Read that the Georgians used the IWI Tavor rifle in limited quantities and were an avid customer for Israeli arms pre-2008.

Yes that is true. we upgraded T-72s and SU-25s with help of Israelis, they sold gave us many small arms, mortars, artillery, UAVs, ect.
But after 2008 they tied up most connections with us, we have Many Isreali military systems we cant use right now because they dont sell us Rockets/missiles ect. anymore

 

[Gordus]

Just like Talvisota pointed out correctly, as far as military purchises are concerned you could say the Israelis are practicaly ignoring requests due to pressure and their relations and agreements with Russia. Certain incidents and affairs also contributed to that. They may still be selling Negevs but that's about it. There is a two sided reliability and trust issue in that area as well, especialy after the 2008 war.

Things look different for security services though. Yes the Tavor, more diminatly Micro-Tavor is purchised and used by protection agencies mostly, and also some of the vehicles like the Wolff but cooperation in training and education is still solid and hasn't changed.

 

[berkut76]

Ok guys, cool pics. Do you want to see something opposite? This one of the newly formed teams in the Alfa unit of Ukrainian SBU. When I was approached about working with them my initial reaction was "why? I'm small time. I supply humanitarian aid. I don't violate ITAR, and Alfa is top of the line". Boy was I surprised by their requests: protein bars, baseball caps, t-shirts, quality back packs, socks (!!!), belts(!!!), light and quality windbreakers toys and clothing for their kids, and I can go on and on. Fortunately, pretty much anything that could be sourced in the USA with "made in China" tag But the Ukrainian government supplied them Glocks. The pics tell the story.

 

[Gordus]

Why is this opposite ? this is exactly the right place.

Was planning to look up some ALFA pics myself and thanks for sharing !

Well that doesn't realy shock me to be honest. It seems like a classic phenomen in post-Soviet space. Units like that get top attention from governments when it comes to preparation and equipment but the social, financial support is often still very limited. Western European countries have it better but that's also due to general living conditions and level of national prosperity, plus .... kind of ... lack of war. ^^

Good work you're doing btw mate. But stay safe !

 

[berkut76]

Why is this opposite ? this is exactly the right place.

Was planning to look up some ALFA pics myself and thanks for sharing !

Well that doesn't realy shock me to be honest. It seems like a classic phenomen in post-Soviet space. Units like that get top attention from governments when it comes to preparation and equipment but the social, financial support is often still very limited. Western European countries have it better but that's also due to general living conditions and level of national prosperity, plus .... kind of ... lack of war. ^^

Good work you're doing btw mate. But stay safe !

I've meant to say that you guys are posting cool gear, unis, armaments, and the unit that I work with can't boast something like that. I remember that their first request was for ... Mechanix Gloves. Other units in Alfa that were formed early in the war benefited from Patriotic upsurge and got some nice gear from fundraisers. These guys got into Alfa when the war turned into stalemate and became too boring for the folks to pay attention to it.

I'm on the Russian "lists" as "junta assistant" (yep, they invented the term) . Despite having nothing but good memories about living in Moscow, I will never be able to step a foot there or in St. Petersburg where my dad is from.

 

[berkut76]

A buddy of mine supports SSO (In English, Special Operations Forces). We have absolutely divulging strategies, he wants to equip more troops as cheaply as possible. So, there result usually is Husky gloves and kneepads, and the guys are grateful for that.

 

[Gordus]

In the end qualification and efficiency is what counts not who looks more tacticool. I don't know anything about their training, but knowing other units like that, usualy the education and training is on some of the highest level physicaly and financialy possible.

But that's interesting and also concerning. Last time I checked, ALFA seemed to have pretty top notch state of the art gear. Seems to have deteriorated since then. Very very unfortunate if that's the case.

 

[Talvisota]

They may still be selling Negevs

Not sure
You noted how many Georgian soldiers use 30 round STANAG magazines on Negevs?
guess why

 

[berkut76]

In the end qualification and efficiency is what counts not who looks more tacticool. I don't know anything about their training, but knowing other units like that, usualy the education and training is on some of the highest level physicaly and financialy possible.

But that's interesting and also concerning. Last time I checked, ALFA seemed to have pretty top notch state of the art gear. Seems to have deteriorated since then. Very very unfortunate if that's the case.

No issues with training. But the level of equipment varies, earlier, more established teams, especially from the capital of Kyiv have all the "toys" (although, definitely not on the level of comparable Western units). The teams stationed on the periphery have to make due with what's left.